Improvement in trunk-locks



E.A.G.ROULSTONE.

Trunk-Look.

Patented Aug. 5, I879.

-Rmgw. E. J. G jfmlszozw,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD A. Gr. ROULSTONE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRUNK-LOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 218,139, dated August 5, 1879; application filed April 28, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. G. ROUL- ST'ONE, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Trunk-Locks, of which the following is a specification.

This lock is designed for trunks in general, but more especially for sample-trunks, so called, in which it is desirable to crowd as many articles as possible; the object of my invention being to produce a lock which shall permit the trunk to be securely locked if the cover is but partially closed.

The essential feature in my present invention consists of an extensible hasp or catch, moving by and with the cover and with respect to the lock, and adapted to be secured at any altitude by the bolt of such lock, this hasp being swiveled to the cover in such manner as to be susceptible of a double movement thereupon, one of which permits it to swing outward away from the cover, to adapt itself to the movements of the latter in opening and closing, and the other to enable it to be turned upward and inward toward the cover when the latter is open, in order that it shall preter the opening ofthe latter should the original positions of the body and cover be disturbed.

The drawings accompanying this specification represent, in Figure 1, a front or full view of a hasp and lock containing my invention, while Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of the same, with a portion of the trunk to which such parts are attached. Fig. 3 in the drawings is an inside view of the hasp and the escutcheon-plate to which it is attached. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the dogs of the lock. Fig. 5 is a view of the key.

In these drawings, A represents a lock, composed, in the present instance, of a suitable case, B, and two twin dogs or latches, G 0, arranged upon opposite sides of the key-hole D, and suspended from their upper ends by pivots a a, in such manner as to be susceptible of a swinging movement toward or away from each other with respect to the key and the hasp. Each latch has aninwardly-proiectin g spur, 1), Figs. 2 and 4, and these two oppositely -disposed spurs operate in connection with a flat bar orhasp, whichis shown at cin the drawings as provided upon each side with a toothed rack, d, the teeth of which engage the spurs b b, and by means of which the hasp is locked.

The two dogs 0 O are crowded toward each other by springs e e, and to operate the dogs I employ a key, (shown in Fig. 50f the drawings,) such key having the usual handle and shank f and g, and two oppositely-disposed turn-bits, h h.

By means of this key the dogs are crowded apart against the stem of the springs c c, and the spurs b b are thereby disengaged from the hasp and the trunk is unlocked. Upon removing the key the dogs constitute an automatic spring-lock, which seizes and retains the hasp when it is crowded between them, the lower part of the lock-case being considerably extended to receive the elongated hasps.

1 form upon diagonally-opposite corners of the dogs 0 G spurs i t, against which the bits of the key abut, such spurs serving to prevent the entire rotation of the key and maintain it in proper position while in the look.

It will be observed that the strain devolving upon the hasp as the cover of the trunk tends to crowd away from the body is not borne by the pivots of the dogs, but by a solid plate, j, placed within thelock-case and in rear of the dogs, such plate having orifices k k, which receive the spurs b b, and against the upper boundaries of which the spurs will abut if any undue strain is put upon them.

The upper end of the hasp or catch 0 is hinged to a link, 1, as shown at l, in such manner as to be susceptible of swinging movements inward upon such link, while the link, in turn, is hinged at its upper end ina similar manner, as shown at m, to the lower end of a second link, m, which, in turn, is swiveled, as shown at n, to the escutcheonplate n, which confines the hasp to the cover of the trunk.

The hinge l permits the hasp to swing outward toward and away from the cover when the two parts of the trunk are detached, to accommodate itself to the movements of such cover; the hinge m permits the hasp and link l to be turned inward and upward, to permit the packing or unpacking of the trunk: while, finally, the swivel n permits the hasp to be swung laterally,to accommodate it to the opening of the look.

It will be seen that the toothed hasp will be engaged by the dogs, and the trunk thereby be securely looked in whatever altitude the cover of the trunk may be, while the manner of hanging the hasp to its support obviates danger of its becoming broken.

I claim- 1. The elongated hasp, in combination with an upper link, swiveled to the eseutcheon so as to be capable of lateral movement, and an 

